Without limiting the scope of the present invention, its background will be described with reference to producing fluid from a hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formation, as an example.
During the completion of a well that traverses a hydrocarbon bearing subterranean formation, production tubing and various completion equipment are installed in the well to enable safe and efficient production of the formation fluids. For example, to control the inflow of production fluids, it is common practice to install one or more flow control devices within the tubing string. The flow control devices may include one or more flow control components such as flow tubes, nozzles, labyrinths or the like. Typically, the production flowrate through these flow control devices is fixed prior to installation by the number and design of the flow control components. It has been found, however, that due to changes in formation pressure and changes in formation fluid composition over the life of the well, it may be desirable to adjust the flow control characteristics of the flow control devices. In addition, for certain completions, such as long horizontal completions having numerous production intervals, it may be desirable to independently control the inflow of production fluids into each of the production intervals. Further, in some completions, it would be desirable to adjust the flow control characteristics of the flow control devices without the requirement for well intervention.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for an improved flow control system that is operable to control the inflow of formation fluids. A need has also arisen for such a flow control system that is operable to independently control the inflow of production fluids from multiple production intervals and operable to control the inflow of production fluids without the requirement for well intervention as formation pressure or fluid composition changes over time.